"So, that was Pine Valley?"
Bess asked as her newfound parents sat on a park bench, worn out as a result of giving Bess a tour of their hometown, along with lingering exhaustion from the huge party Tad had thrown in Dixie and Bess' honor at the Yacht Club the night before. Much to their surprise, their close gathering of family and friends soon consisted of what felt like the entire town. This prompting the duo to take a page from Angie and the very much alive Jesse's book, when they snuck into an available luxury suite at the Valley Inn for some much needed, and long overdue, private celebrating of their own, involving ordering chicken fingers from room service and dancing the night away in their theme wear of terry cloth bathrobes.
"The one and only."
"So, is that huge mansion I saw back there where we're gonna live?" Bess asked with excitement.
"Uh, no." Tad and Dixie answered in unison.
"Aw man, I always wanted to live in a castle."
"Sweetheart I hate to break it to ya, but the only prince you'll find in that castle is one I never wanna see you acquainted with."
"Oh Tad..."
"It's true Dix, J.R bought a condo a few months ago with A."
"I'd like the full report later on if you don't mind." Dixie said with a proud smile, anxiously awaiting when she could finally see her boys and her grandson in person. Tad had held off on inviting them to the party on account of J.R being away with A for the weekend and Jamie being overseas. But with the holidays coming up soon Tad and Dixie knew their boys would be home soon enough and get the surprise of a lifetime.
"So, J.R and Little Adam aren't living with Mr. Chandler anymore?"
"Yes I'm thrilled to say. At the moment there's
nobody in the mansion but the good ol' Prince of Dark..."
"Tad..." Dixie warned.
"So, where are we gonna live?" Bess asked curiously.
"Actually I..." Dixie said as she looked around, looking slightly out of sorts.
"Oh, Tad, you're such a goofball!"
"Aren't I always?" Tad asked getting a giggle out of Bess.
"I knew something felt off. We should've taken a right back there and gone to Memorial Park instead!"
"Well I..."
"I mean that's always been our chosen park. It's got the playground where we'd always take the boys, you know the one with the bigger swing set. And that bench may as well have a plaque inscribed with our names on it!"
"Would ya settle for our initals carved in a tree trunk?"
"Tad! Seriously? Why'd we take such a backwards route? Now we're miles away from the house!"
"Well, excuse me for trying to get a little exercise."
"Hey, I'm all for a little fresh air. I just wasn't in the mood to trek through the frozen tundra to get back home." Dixie muttered as she began shivering, the never ending snowfall starting to lose it's appeal.
"I knew we shouldn't have done a walking tour." Tad said with a sigh as he wrapped his scarf around Dixie's neck.
"Baby look, we can just stop at the detective agency and you and Bess can warm up while I get the car."
"No, that's too much trouble."
"Nothing's too much trouble for either of my girls. Speaking of which, come here you." Tad said as he put Bess on his shoulders.
"Look Tad, we've battled hypothermia after taking a swim in icy rapids before, I'm sure a little snow trudging won't do us in."
"You sure?"
"No, it's fine. I've got everything I need right here." Dixie said with a smile as she took Tad's hand.
"Besides, it'll make getting back home to that tacky golf-ball washer all the more sweeter."
"Oh, yeah. Definitely." Tad said nervously.
"Tad? Are, are you alright?" Dixie asked with concern as she noticed Tad start to turn pale.
"What? Oh, yeah, sweetheart I'm, I'm fine."
"You look like the complete opposite if you ask me."
"No, it's nothing Dix. The cold's just starting to get to me a bit. That's all."
"You sure?"
"Of course."
"Well, alright, if you insist."
"I do!"
"Fine, I guess I'll just have to take your word for it."
"That didn't sound very convincing!"
"No, I'm convinced."
"Really?"
"Completely. Why shouldn't I be? I know you've got no reason to keep things from me. We already know everything we'll ever need to know about each other. No need for any more secrets from here on out."
"So, you've officially had enough Tad Martin, international man of mystery? 'Cause every relationship needs a little drama now and then, just to keep things, well, interesting..." Tad said mischievously, giving Dixie a flirtatious smile.
"A G-rated sort of interesting for now, Thaddeus. And nothing that's gonna jeopardize this zillionth second chance of ours."
"Absolutely." Tad said, trying to play it cool despite the nagging sense of guilt that had been eating at him ever since his and Palmer's discussion about the past.
"There's that look again!" Dixie said with concern as she saw the same, pained expression on Tad's face.
"What? What look?"
"Tad, c'mon. It's just me alright, you know you can tell me anything."
"I know that Dix, I've known that for over twenty years. But nothing is bothering me." Tad said not very convincingly.
"Alright, what are you trying to do?"
"Excuse me?"
"You know, you're actually starting to offend me here."
"How? What am I doing?"
"No, it's what you aren't doing that's the problem."
"Alright I'm gonna need to buy a vowel here, 'cause you're not making any sense."
"Wait, hold on. Before we get to the bottom of what's been eating at you all night, Whatever it is you're doing everything in your power to keep from telling me. Does Uncle Palmer know about it?"
"Palmer? What does he have to do with any of this?"
"Okay, this sounds really strange but when I, when I was in the coma, I remember Uncle Palmer talking to me, a lot."
"Well that's understandable, I mean he was all you had for months. And it's not like he had much else to do way out in the boondocks. I'm sure he talked to you a lot."
"But, there's something he said that I, distinctly remember. He, kept going on and on about promises, promises that were broken."
"What kind of promises Dix?" Tad asked nervously.
"Promises you'd made to me. Tad, he told me that you, betrayed me."
"Oh Dix! Honey, you know Cortlandt's had it out for me since day one. He's never been a fan of our being together and probably never will be."
"I know that."
"He probably figured it would be easier to speak his mind when nobody was there to tell him to shove off."
"Yeah, maybe he thought he'd start reasoning with my subconscious since we all know my conscious is too stubborn for it's own good."
"Stubborn yet completely irresistible." Tad said with a smile as he gave Dixie a kiss.
"And stubborn enough to get to the bottom of what's really bothering you."
"Oh you think so?"
"I know so. In fact, I'm willing to bet big money that I'll get the truth out of you before we walk in the door at Holland Avenue."
"Wait, Holland Avenue?" Bess asked with confusion, not recognizing that address as the one of the house Opal had taken her to the night before.
"Yes sweetie. That's where we live." Dixie said with a smile that turned to a frown when she saw the same nervous expression on Tad's face.
"I thought the house I stayed at last night was on Peach Street?"
Bess asked with confusion.
"Wow, you are a born detective aren't ya. Um, hey Bess, you see the detective agency two doors down, why don't ya run on in there and have Fish and Chips fix ya some hot chocolate? Tell him Dixie and I are right behind ya."
"Sure, no problem." Bess said leaving Tad and Dixie to their inevitable discussion.
Sitting on the couch in the downstairs of the office, with Bess happily playing pool upstairs with Aidan, Dixie figured now was as good a time as ever to figure out why the love of her life was taking his pent up anxiety out in an intense, never ending round of pinball.
"So, I guess I've been away longer than I thought. Who would've thought they'd go and change the street names on me!"
"Dix, they didn't exactly change, the street name."
"Well, from the way you're acting something must've changed!"
"Um, I..."
"Tad. C'mon, you're making me nervous here."
"I..."
Tad stuttered as he brought himself to face Dixie, knowing he'd put this issue off too long already.
"Dix, the house I had Ma bring Bess to was on Peach. I don't live at Holland Avenue anymore."
"Oh, Tad!" Dixie said sadly.
"I, I know that house was full of memories for you, of, of us, our life. But it was still our home! I mean look at all the, the Christmas and Halloween parties we threw there. All the, the Sunday morning breakfasts and Saturday morning cereal with candy, cartoon watching sessions!"
"Which you've never approved of I might add!"
"Well, I'm sorry for not being thrilled at my husband and boys conveniently falling into sugar comas every Saturday morning right when I'd need some help cleaning the house!" Dixie joked.
"Tad, it's just, we had so many good times at Holland Avenue. I just thought you'd rather have held on to those memories rather than losing them all completely."
"Dix I.. you have to know I'd never voluntarily lose those memories. I mean c'mon, I've got a medal in my closet for world's biggest pack rat. You know how I hold onto everything!"
"So, then what possibly made you move out? You loved our house!"
"I know I did baby, I never had any intention of moving out, and it killed me when I had to."
"So, why did you?"
"Because otherwise I would've gotten hauled away with it's ashes. That's why." Tad said with dismay as he plopped onto the couch,
"Ashes! What? Oh, Tad...No!"
"Yes."
"No, it, it couldn't have, burned..!"
"Oh, it, it could have."
"Oh my God! Our house...our beautiful house!" Dixie wailed as she sat down on the couch next to Tad who put his arm around her.
"I can't, but, how! I...Did, we lose, everything?" Dixie asked fearfully.
"Everything, except for this." Tad said with a sigh as he took a small object from his coat's inside pocket and handed it to Dixie.
"Oh my...Kate!" Dixie choked out as she took the pink striped cap from it's protective bag and held it close.
"I, I couldn't believe it either, it wasn't even touched. One miracle in all the mess."
"Oh my God, Tad. I can't..."
"Shh, I know baby. I know." Tad said soothingly as he held her close.
"How?"
"What?"
"How? How, did this happen?"
"I..."
"What did it? Was it something electrical? Did you accidentally leave something in the oven too long?"
"Dix I..."
"Tad, please. You have to know what caused the fire."
"Oh I, I know what caused it. Actually scratch that, I know who caused it." Tad said bitterly as he stood up and paced back and forth.
"Who? But I, I thought..." Dixie stuttered in confusion.
"Yes Dix, as much as it sickens me to think about, there is someone out there with enough gall to burn our house to a crisp a year or so ago."
"Who could've done such a thing?"
"Someone who wanted to add arsonist to his lengthy list of specialties."
"Tad..." Dixie said impatiently.
"Sweetheart, our merry pyromaniac was none other than the dark prince residing at Chez Chandler himself."
"What? No, no you can't mean, not Adam!" Dixie said, totally stunned.
"Yes, I do."
"Wait, no! This, this doesn't make any sense. I...we both know firsthand what Adam is capable of, but, arson? No! I don't believe it."
"Oh I'd try to if I were you."
"Did you have proof?"
"Baby, this is Adam Chandler were talking about. He probably paid off one his goons to light the match for him, but yes, I'm positive Adam was behind this."
"But, Tad? J.R, he, we raised him at Holland Avenue! Adam, wouldn't burn down the house where his only son grew up!"
"Only if J.R had been standing inside when he went on his pyro rampage, but then again with the mood Adam was in that night I don't even think that would've been enough to stop him." Tad said angrily, but instantly regretted his words when he saw the horrified expression on Dixie's face.
"Tad! Don't you even think that, you understand!"
"Dixie I'm, I'm so sorry, I just..."
"Look, I know it's been set since the beginning of time that you and Adam are never going to be anything but sworn enemies, and I know all too well you have every right to be. But like it or not Adam is J.R's father, and for J.R's sake I've always put that fact before my feelings towards him."
"I...I know." Tad said apologetically.
"So you must know that when you go claiming he's gone so far as to burn down our house I'm not going to just sit back and accept it." Dixie said stubbornly.
"Dix, I know this has thrown you for a loop, with good reason. But you know I have no reason to lie to you about this. Even with all the stunts Adam's pulled over the years I never thought he'd be capable of this. But I swear to you on, on my sister's memory and my mothers' lives, that Adam Chandler was behind the pyrotechnics that night."
"You, you're not lying, are you." Dixie said solemnly, knowing from the pain in Tad's eyes alone he was telling the truth.
"I couldn't if I tried."
"All, alright, so. So Adam was in some way responsible for us not showing Bess the, that tacky golf ball washer of yours now." Dixie said with tears in her eyes.
"I'm just thankful Pierre the Pudge was spared."
Tad said with a sigh as he went to give Dixie a hug, but was concerned when she stood up and began pacing.
"No, wait. I have to know something else here."
"Anything."
"What provoked Adam to get him to do this?"
"Dix, I..."
"I mean I know Adam can be a monster but obviously something must've gotten him worked up enough to destroy our home! Now what was it, or...or should I be asking who?"
Dixie asked with a questioning gaze directed at a guilty looking Tad.
"Tad. What happened?"
"Baby, I don't think now's the best time to..."
"Oh I think now's a perfect time."
"But..." Tad was about to protest before Dixie cut him off.
"And I know, that as much as you don't want me to hear the real story, if we have any intention of getting our relationship back to where it's meant to be, then I suggest you tell me everything. Either I get full disclosure here or we don't have a shot in hell of getting past this."
"Oh Dix..."
"Please, Tad. For the sake of me, us, the boys, Bess, Kate, just tell me everything. Everything I missed."
And then Tad proceeded to tell Dixie everything that had taken place while she'd been comatose. And when he'd finished admitting the whole ugly truth, a stunned, broken Dixie found herself almost wishing she hadn't woken up at all.